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Reading time from a clock

Lesson

Clock time

When we read the time from a clock, called analogue time, it doesn't look like digital time. Once we learn how a clock works, we can see how the time can be shown two different ways, like these two clocks:. They both show ten past three.


Let's see how each hand on our clock works, and work out the time, then see the digital time. Then, you might like to play with the online clock and move the hands yourself!

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Click on this applet to move the hands on the clock by using the slider. Can you work out the time? If you get stuck, you can reveal the digital time by ticking the box.

Worked Examples

Question 1

What time is shown on this clock?

A round analog clock with a dark blue frame and a light gray face. The numbers $1$1 through $12$12 are printed around the perimeter of the clock face indicating the hours. Between each hour marking, there are four smaller hash marks representing the minutes. The center of the clock is the point from which both the hour and minute hands pivot. The hour hand is pointing slightly past the $7$7, while the minute hand is pointing at the $5$5.

  1. To enter the time, enter one digit in each box.

    $\editable{}$:$\editable{}$$\editable{}$

Question 2

What time is shown on this clock?

  1. Enter one digit in each box.

    $\editable{}$:$\editable{}$$\editable{}$

Question 3

What time is shown on this clock?

  1. Enter the hour in the box to the left, and the minute digits in the boxes to the right.

    $\editable{}$:$\editable{}$$\editable{}$

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